


At the Spring of Starlight

by mckittericks



Category: The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-07
Updated: 2014-04-07
Packaged: 2018-01-18 10:54:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1425889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mckittericks/pseuds/mckittericks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“But why are you here at all?” the elf asks, and then shakes his head. “You will come with me. Do not think to cry out, or I shall have to hurt you.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	At the Spring of Starlight

 

In the morning when they awake, deep in the unending gloom of Mirkwood, hunger gnaws at them all. Along with the others, Gimli scrapes out the last crumbs of food from his pack. All their water is gone. The only comfort is that Bombur finally wakes from his enchanted sleep, disoriented, and miserable once they explain the whole of their situation. Although he weeps as they took back to the trail, Gimli rolls his shoulders with relief. His stomach is empty, but at least he will not need to take his turn carrying Bombur.

By midday, the oaks they have walked under for the past two days give way to pines. The trail is thick with their needles. They trudge along, feet silent and throats dry.

“What is that?” says Balin, a little ahead and peering just off the trail.

Bilbo trots ahead to join him. “A spring!” he cries.

They all cluster around, staring at the perfect oval pool, not a dozen steps off the trail. It is not dark and evil looking as the river had been, but an even blue, reflecting the sky above it. “It looks well enough,” Thorin says. “Fili, Kili, test the water to see if we might drink it.”

Gimli’s cousins do so eagerly, and when they have drunk with no ill effects, all the rest of the company gathers around, drinking deeply and filling their waterskins.

“We will stop here awhile,” Thorin declares, “so that we might all have a chance to rest and wash.”

They settle on the trail and all take turns, going in pairs to bathe. As the youngest, Gimli is last.

“It is safe enough, lad,” his father, Gloin, says to him, as he goes to take his turn alone.

Gimli peers, a little uncertainly, into the dark woods beyond the pool, but his kin are only a shout away, behind a thin screen of pines between the spring and the trail. He unbelts his axes, and with pleasure pulls the sweat- and dust-caked clothes from his body. His hair he pulls up into a quick bun, to keep it dry. He goes to test the water with his toes. A noise, a sensation, comes from the woods behind him, and he turns back only to have his hand caught by a figure, looming over him.

“Who are you, and why does your party despoil the _celosen gilgalad_?” the figure asks, an elf, now that Gimli sees him fully. Gimli jerks, trying to twist to reach his axe, but the elf’s grip is like iron and he cannot reach.

“We are but travelers, hungry and thirsty,” Gimli says.

“But why are you here at all?” the elf asks, and then shakes his head. “You will come with me. Do not think to cry out, or I shall have to hurt you.”

Which is how Gimli, son of Gloin, finds himself, bound, naked, and humiliated, brought to the dungeons of Mirkwood, before the rest of his party is ensnared by spiders and ultimately captured by Mirkwood elves themselves.

Years later, at the council of Elrond, Gimli will look across the circle and find himself looking into the eyes of the same prince of Mirkwood who imprisoned him long ago. Incredulous, enraged, he knows this elf cannot be entrusted with such an important quest. When the elf commits himself to the company set on the destruction of the ring, Gimli does not hesitate, not even to look to his father, and pledges himself as well. Someone will have to keep an eye on the elf.

This time, he will have his axe ready.

**Author's Note:**

> Book canon AU where a young Gimli comes along on the quest to retake Erebor. I'd love to pretend I had something more sophisticated in mind when doing this, but this was nothing more than excuse to draw Gimli's butt.


End file.
